


A Fae's Cottage and Lasagna

by felix_8felicis



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fae & Fairies, Fae cottage, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Flowers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Give Changbin a Hug, Hurt/Comfort, Lasagna cuz why not, Plants, Werewolves, Witches, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28602666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felix_8felicis/pseuds/felix_8felicis
Summary: Fae Changbin in his cottage, sipping hot chocolate in a pink mug, expecting a visitor.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Platonic Relationship(s), Seo Changbin & Kim Seungmin
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	A Fae's Cottage and Lasagna

**Author's Note:**

> Eden, happy sweet amazing birthday! I hope your 19s will be amazing and I hope you'll like this~

There were two knocks on the door.

Two

_Knock Knock_

As simple as that. Precise, direct, right to the point.

Someone is here. 

The air is warm, although heavy. Changbin glares at the door above his pink cup. Hyunjin had given it to him during their debut days because his eyes had landed on it in a shop somewhere, and he had immediately thought of him. It was pink and Hyunjin had assured proudly that it was the ugliest thing his eyes had landed on. Odd enough, tastes and opinions indeed do differ from person to the other, because Changbin had fallen in love with the small object.

The cup had stayed in a suitcase under his bed to take the dust for years, until its owner finally had rescued it when he had pulled the luggage out the day he decided to leave for here. Ironic, this pink cup with golden fairy dust on it has seen the start and possibly end of his career.

Maybe it’s a luck charm, maybe it’s a curse.

The knocks don’t resonate again, and somehow, it wreaks Changbin’s nerves more than if they had. The silence is the same, but it now starts to pierce his ears.

He sighs, that’s the least he had expected from the person on the other side. The door hadn’t even been opened for him yet and he was already troubling him.

The door flicks open to an innocent devilish smirk.

“Hi.”

Changbin doesn’t answer. He raises an eyebrow and sips at his hot chocolate.

Then, he turns around and walks back to the kitchen.

The chalet is small, but warm. It belongs to his parents, and the walls are still coated with his childhood memories. Sometimes, when the silence starts ringing, he can hear 5 years old Changbin laughing, running down the halls to catch up on his sister. He can hear their steps echoing against the wood, can hear his mother scream at them to be careful. When his stomach twist in hunger, he can smell his father’s cooking fuming on the stove. When his eyes get lost in the darkness of the old television, he can see the illusions of the cartoons they used to watch so eagerly. Changbin misses it, the way he used to look at things with such wide genuine interest.

The room is open and square; the living room directly to the front door’s right side, the kitchen up front, and a reading area to the left. On either side of the kitchen are tight hallways. The right one has doors that leads to the bathroom and basement, while the left one is occupied by three bedrooms. Everything is wooden, and rather old. There are plants hanging from the ceiling and flowers on the edge of the windows. The place had been abandoned for years, but surprisingly, none had perished. It once again reminded Changbin that nature didn’t need humans to live. _They_ needed it.

The roses had started singing when he first opened the door. The plants hanging from the ceiling had stretched their arms until they could reach his head and ruffle his hair. They had missed him. Had missed someone that would talk to them and understand. They were so happy to see him, that Changbin had started crying. He had been so busy with things that in the end, didn’t hold much value; variety programs, music shows, award shows… Looking back, none truly mattered. None cheered and sang when they saw Changbin after years of absence like his plants and roses did. Changbin had taken their love for granted, as if they owned that to him. It is only when he lost that love and started craving for other’s (fans, public, producers, his boss, journalists, anyone really) that he truly realized their worth. How pricy love is.

Seungmin for example. The older has always appreciated his worth, friendship, brotherhood, everything, but it’s only when Changbin left and took a step back from everything that he could truly admire what he had and what he doesn’t anymore.

“Which one are you?” Changbin finally asks, boiling the water on the stove. “Ace card? Joker?” he turns around, resting his back against the counter, arms crossed above his chest. He had saw once upon a time in a tv show that such action is an indicator of one desiring to protect himself. He doesn’t think he is scared, or insecure, he had gone through this 6 times already after all.

Seungmin is sitting comfortably on the couch, he looks relaxed. “Ace card was Jisung. They know you have a weak spot for him. Joker was probably Minho. No one thought you’d resisted through…” he raises his hand, counting on his fingers. “Felix, Jisung, Hyunjin, Jeongin, AND Chan.” A side smirk appears on his lips. He must have picked that habit from Minho. “But here I am.”

Changbin exhales a sigh that shakes his chest. He turns off the fire, purrs the water on a skyblue mug, and lets a small bag of chamomile sink toward the bottom. Maybe he should watch Titanic tonight.

“So what are you Kim Seungmin?”

He brings the mug to him and leaves it on the small wooden table between them as he takes place on the opposite sofa.

“I don’t know.” Seungmin shrugs. He brings the cup to his lips. “What are _you_?”

Changbin scoffs a laugh as the younger sips unbothered his tea. “What are you, my therapist? I thought Jeongin is the one who wants to become a therapist.”

Seungmin doesn’t answer. He lowers his mug, put it back down on the table, and looks around him. “It’s really cozy here.”

“Which part of the ‘let’s-forces-Seo-Changin-to-come-out-of-his-self-long-proclaimed-break’ plan are you?”

“Not _force_ ,” Seungmin corrects glancing at the older for the split of a second. “If any of us truly wanted to force you, you’d be back in Seoul already.”

Changbin watches as Seungmin stands up. He walks around the house, humming a familiar song that he can’t put a name on.

Seconds stretches on and on, and his visitor doesn’t look like he’s planning on saying anything else. It seems like Changbin is the only one bothered by the silence. In the end, he loses patience.

“Are you finally planning on telling me what you came here for?” he screeches, sounding angrier that he has planed too. Maybe not angry, rather frustrated. He had never been the patient guy, that was more a Chan thing.

“Can I see your cottage? I read from books that Faery’s cottages are always so gorgeous, and it happens to be on my bucket list.”

Changbin sighs. “Seungmin.”

But his friend holds his stare, almost forcing him to look away. “I really want to see your garden.”

There’s a silence as they both challenge each other unto a staring context.

“Fine.” Changbin gives up. He stands up, and walks toward the right hallway, to the far back door. He always had been weak when his members asked him anything, and him temporarily moving out doesn’t change a thing.

The garden is wide, like the land it is on. There are multiple ranges of fruits and vegetables followed by families and families of different flowers, living beside each other and forming a rainbow of colors. It had taken weeks, almost months, for Changbin to bring everything back to its original healthy beautiful and taken care of state. Though nature, especially flowers, are nice to his kind. They sing to him in the morning when he wakes up and they send him their regards before going to bed. Being born a Fae is by far the best thing that happened in Changbin’s life, right after meeting Stray Kids of course.

Changbin removes his shirt, the sun above him getting too hot for his liking. His wings finally are left free, and they happily stretch and expands to their full length. Under the sunlight and in the middle of what is rightful his home, both his childhood house and nature, the wings sparkle and flap, fairy dust falling off them like muscles used from stress.

When he throws a glance above his shoulder, Seungmin is staring at him intensely.

“What?” He asks, suddenly self-aware.

“I’ve never seen you like this before.” Seungmin says. Changbin wonders why there’s sadness shaking his voice.

“Shirtless? Yes you have.”

Seungmin scoffs, rolling his eyes. The first genuine smile he has seen on him in a while. Changbin smiles back like a mirror, praising himself for successfully making the other laugh. “I mean free like this. So…” he searches for words that Changbin is aware of already. “So devoid of worry, and tense posture.”

Changbin doesn’t say anything. He looks away and crunches down in front of a daisy.

“Even when you did things you enjoy like writing music or just dozing off in the dorms’ couch in front of an episode of Winx, you’ve never looked this _you_.”

He doesn’t answer. It’s not like he doesn’t know what to say, but rather that he doesn’t want to take that path. He had done it already six times. Every time one of his members came to him and asked him to come back to Seoul, to JYP, to music, his answer had always been the same. He had tried to explain, to make them see how much that lifestyle had started to tear him apart from what he truly is; a simple Fae who craves for big field, open space and flowers. They understood, but they kept coming back to try cox him out of the shelf he had closed himself unto. Changbin hated the guilt that bloomed in his chest every time one of them came with that sorrowful face of heartache, but he wanted to keep them coming to his doorway if only to see them.

“I’m a Fae Minnie.” Changbin says gently, “I am not meant to be in the city for too long.” He sits down on the grass, facing the sunset.

Seungmin approaches him and sits beside him.

Changbin proceeds, with a gentle soft voice pleading to be understood. “I love making music with Stray Kids. I love performing. I love laughing with you guys and touring across the globe. I love it and I know how lucky I am to have all of you and the life I was given.” He hesitates, choosing carefully the right words that wouldn’t hurt. “But It felt like I was constantly living inside a tiny box. From work to the dorm, everyday again and again. Album, promotion, then try make songs better than the last ones, again and again and again.”

Seungmin reaches to gently touch his wings. Changbin doesn’t startle, he’d had the members play with them enough in the past. “You never were able to stretch them like this.”

“What?” Changbin looks up, confused.

“Your wings.” Seungmin corrects, “The dorm has always been too small. Too devoid of nature. You never were able to open them like this. I can’t imagine not being able to open my arms.”

Changbin can feel tears dwell up in his eyes. He looks away, a Levander smiles back at him, bending down her head so it can ruffle it against his arm.

“I didn’t come here to try convince you to come back Binnie hyung.” Seungmin changes his position so he is sitting in front of him. “The whole group was given a break by the company. It is your right to want it to be longer.”

“Chan hyung has already done his utmost best to stretch the break from a month to three. JYPE won’t accept us being off any longer.” Changbin mutters shaking his head.

“Fuck what the company wants.”

He raises wide surprised eyes to Seungmin. He looks upset. “They have worked us off no stop since our debut. We released 11 albums and four OST in three years. _All_ entirely self-produced. That’s more than some older groups.”

“I just-”

A tear falls down Changbin’s cheek, golden like his tears had always been.

Seungmin doesn’t hesitate a single second. He leans forward and pulls the older unto his embrace, wrapping his arms around his shaking body.

Changbin rests his chin on his shoulder, taking in deep breaths to not cry.  
  
“I just feel like there’s a pack of bees making my heart stop every time I think of coming back to work, to those practice rooms, to that dorm, and those studios. I need more time.”

They stay like that for a long moment, bathing under the remaining sunlight of a day that thankfully will come no more, soon to be replaced by another one promising of so much.

“I don’t want to hold you guys back if you want to start again as Stray Kids I-”

Seungmin steps back, scoffing a laugh at the golden tears tracks on Changbin’s cheek. “It’s not fair that you’re allowed to be so pretty even while crying.”

Changbin pouts, stealing another laugh out of Seungmin’s chest. “You are not the only one exhausted Binnie Hyung. We all are. Truthfully, the reason we’ve been trying to bring you back, it’s not entirely because of our career.”

“What?” he frowns his eyebrows, but Seungmin only sighs.

“Let’s go back inside, it’s getting dark.”

The house is warm and welcoming in contrast to the night and its cold breeze. Changbin throws on a hoodie that had originally belonged to Seungmin. It got passed on through the members because of its soft texture, but in the end, its final destination happened to be his luggage. Changbin suspects that Seungmin had put it inside before they left for the break.

“Turn around.” Seungmin approaches. That, and the hoodie now has two long vertical holes in the back, enough for two wings to pass through. “I always found it unfair how little there are clothes for Fae to free their wings through.” He gently slides his hands in the fabric’s tear and pulls Changbin’s wings out. “If I open my line of clothing one day, I will make sure to have a wide range of clothing for Faery.”

“I will not shop from you. Your fashion is off.” Changbin teases when his wings are free. It feels good not to have them trapped under his clothing.

Seungmin smiles but doesn’t argue.

“Will you stay for dinner? I can make us lasagna.”

He nods, sitting on the chair in the kitchen and observing Changbin rummage through the cupboards.

“That’s the only thing you really know how to make.”

Changbin scoffs, putting the ingredients on the table. “I made pasta one day. Remember? After our third win.”

“The one you forgot in the oven, burnt, and added too much salt on?”

Rolling his eyes, the Fae scoffs. “For the millionth time, it was meant to taste like that.”

“Sure.” Seungmin says, unconvinced.

For a moment, it’s silent.

Changbin starts by preparing the meat. He cooks it on the stove, add seasoning, and let it stir until the familiar brownish color appears. Then, while the tomato sauce boils, he washes the lasagna noodles, brings the container closer to him and lay them down carefully one by one, side by side. He mixes the sauce and meat together, grate a large portion of cheese (the members are addict to cheese), and pours a portion on top of the noodles. Multiple layers later, after adding more cheese, he puts everything in the oven.

Seungmin has been silent all along, humming the same song he had earlier. Now, Changbin thinks he can recognize it.

Taking a seat in front of the other, he folds his arms, suddenly whishing he had his pink mug in his hands to play with and hide behind.

“What are you really doing here Seungmin?”

The appeasing silence suddenly gains more weight above their heads, and Changbin curses himself for it.

“I told you, I’m not here to try convince you to come back. You deserve as long of a break as you feel like it.” Seungmin leans forward. It almost looks like he’s some kind of mafia, trying to convince him to sell his shares. Maybe Stray Kids should start a drama. That would be cool. “Chan hyung said if it is for our sake, he would even leave the company.”

Changbin’s eyes widen. Chan had been in JYPE for ten years. Needless to say that he is loyal to the company and has stated multiple times that he considers it as his home and everyone there as family. “He _what_?”

“Does it really surprise you? Chan hyung will always put us first. He has always been like that.” Seungmin smirks mischievously. “That makes me wonder, do you think he would help us hide the body if we ever _accidentally_ killed someone? You know like in ‘Pretty Little Liars’ or ‘How To Get Away With Murder’”

When he only receives a raised eyebrow in response, he sighs. “Anyway, my point is, Chan doesn’t give a single fuck about what the company wants. He puts our safety and wellbeing first. He wouldn’t force you to go back to work.”

“What’s the deal then?”

Seungmin rolls his eyes, looking annoyed as if Changbin is five years old and he has to be explained the simplest thing over again. “We worry about you Bin Hyung. You always craved to be around other people. Secluding yourself like this, miles away in the middle of nowhere, is worrisome.”

Changbin doesn’t say anything, he looks away.  
  
“During our break, we all went to our families. Chan and Felix flew to Australia, and the rest of us went back home. You stayed with your parents for like a week before leaving. You’ve been here alone for a whole month, refused to start again as Stray Kids, and stayed locked in a cottage for two more months.” Seungmin sighs. He sounds tired. Worried. “How do you expect us not to worry?”

He reaches forward and cups his hands in his. “We just- no forget the others. _I_ want to understand what’s going on in that head of yours.”

Changbin bits the inside of his lower lips. The smell of the lasagna in floating in the air, bringing in a homey color to the house, one that had faded years ago. The fire is cracking in the fireplace, illuminating the books on the shelves an orangish tent. The electricity is buzzing behind walls, like the pack of bees inside his chest.

“The song you’ve been humming. Side effects isn’t it?”

Seungmin looks confused, but he nods.

“There is a part that says, during Felix’s verse; _I used to shout out I wouldn’t change, but why am I changing endlessly depending on my surroundings?”_ Changbin looks down at their intertwined fingers. It feels nice. “I promised myself before debuting that I won’t let my idol life change me. What a naïve hope.”

“Changing is not necessarily a bad thing. We all change from the experience and situation we go through.”

Changbin shakes his head. “I do not recognize the person I’ve become.” He looks around him, as if searching for his words on the floor and plants surrounding them. “Hyunjin’s part. He says; _I’m swallowing a pill that gives me baseless confidence. Maybe I took too much, now I’m feeling worried than confident.”_ He looks back at Seungmin, his eyes begging to be understood and heard. “Do you get what I mean? I’m constantly running on fake confidence. I didn’t use to be like this. I used to truly believe in what I was doing. In the songs I wrote and produced. I’ve become a ragged doll.” Tears of frustration blurs his vision but he whip them frustratingly. “I don’t know what’s going on Minnie. I started this journey with so much confidence, I don’t know where things started to go wrong.”

Seungmin squeezes his hand. “ _I believed in myself, I threw myself in, but why am I being swept away?”_ He smiles when Changbin raises his head to meet his eyes. “My part.”

“Yeah” Changbin scoffs. “Exactly.”

Another silence follows, but this time, it is lighter.

“Have you guys really been that worried?” he can’t help but ask.

Seungmin scoffs. “IN has been coming up every morning with new stories of you either being killed in your sleep or kidnapped.” He flips Changbin’s hand that he is still holding and stretch out one of his fingers. “One time, he called me in panic at 7am. _Hyung_ ” he takes a higher tone, trying to mimic the younger. “ _I had a terrible dream. What if goblins break in Changbin Hyung’s house in the middle of the night and kidnap him? He is tiny sized it won’t be hard to take him away. He wouldn’t even wake up from his sleep!_ ” He stretches a second finger. “ _Seungmin Hyung! What if a witch in a broom flies through Changbin Hyung’s window, you know how he always leaves it open, and curses him? What do you mean Witches don’t fly on brooms? Minho hyung has three cats! How cliché can he be? Surely there’s a witch like Minho Hyung with a cat and a broom!_ ”

Changbin laughs out loud. Their youngest sure has a wild imagination.

“It’s a new story every morning for the past month. This morning, he called and said _‘Hyung, what if Changbin Hyung tries to go to the supermarket, gets lost and can’t find his way back home? What if a clown with a red balloon fools and kidnap him? You know Hyung is naïve.’_ ” Seungmin nods solemnly. “He’s been watching IT again.”

Changbin feels slightly guilty for laughing, but he doesn’t try to stop himself.

The oven bips then, and he stands up to remove the lasagna from the oven. The smell spreads around the apartment. He leaves it to cool off on the counter and turns to face Seungmin. “I just need time away from everything. To find my old self back. To remember why I originally started this journey.”

“Away from us?” Seungmin asks in a soft voice.

Changbin approaches to ruffle his hair. “No idiot. I wouldn’t want anything else in the world than to have you by my side here.”

Seungmin suddenly raises his head, making the other startle at the unexpected action. “Really?” He asks, a wide grin on his face. “You really would like it if we live here together? All eight of us?”

Changbin frowns. “Yes, of course. I’m running away from my responsibilities not you.”

Seungmin smiles gets wider, if that’s even possible. He stands up abruptly and runs to the front door.

He opens it, pocks his head outside and screams; “GUYS! HE SAID YES YOU CAN COME IN!”

Changbin stares wide eyed as one by one, his members pour in the house.

Jisung is shaking, running toward the fireplace. “You took your time! I was FREEZING in that DAMN CAR!” He rubs his arms, turns and glare at Chan as if it was his fault all along. “I’m not a werewolf like Channi Hyung, I actually know what cold is.”

Hyunjin goes running toward the kitchen, skipping past Changbin toward the lasagna as if he is a mere ghost. “This smell _so good_ , I’m going to faint.”

Minho on the other hand is already opening the different doors. “I will pick my room first!”

Changbin opens his mouth to say something but he is cut short by Jeongin jumping in his arms. The younger has never really been the cuddly type, but today seems to be an exception as he wraps himself in Changbin’s arms. “Thank god I thought you would be in big trouble by accident. You can’t even crack an egg!”

Felix is running from one side of the apartment to the other, greeting and bowing to every flower and plant present within the room. “Hello, my name is Lee Felix it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He even starts a conversation with some sunflowers in the reading room area. “I went to Australia and my wings became really healthy! They are sparkling more than they ever did! Do you want to see them?”

Chan is the only one directly walking toward him. He has a dog in his arms yelping happily; Berry. Chan’s parents decided to send the pet with their oldest child back to Korea. If they couldn’t be together, at least the family’s dog will ease the longing and homesickness. 

“W-Where you guys outside all along?” Changbin asks when the older reaches him.

“In the car yes.” Chan smiles, as if it is the simplest and most casual thing. He walks past him and joins Hyunjin to divide the lasagna unto eight plates.

IN slips from Changbin’s arms when he is sure that he hadn’t been cursed by a witch nor kidnapped by goblins.

Changbin doesn’t have time to process the warmness blooming in his chest and the tears gathering in his eyes before Seungmin takes Jeongin’s place as he wraps himself in his hold. “If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you.” He whispers close to his ear.

“I feel like I said yes to a marriage proposal.” Changbin chuckles tearily, resting his chin on Seungmin’s shoulder who giggles. “I can’t get rid of you, can I?”

“Until death do us apart.”

“Or lasagna.” Minho snickers. “I hope for you that there’s enough for everyone. That leader of yours can eat for two full grown wolfs.”

“Make it four.” Chan mumbles between a mouthful. 

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah that was it. I wrote this au for a friend's birthday (Happy birthday Eden), I came up with the plot in a couple of minutes and wrote this in a day, so it's a bit random but I hope you liked it ~
> 
> I also take requests ~


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